State of Maryland

A Licensed Practical Nurse III is the advanced or lead level of work performing practical nursing duties for the care, treatment, habilitation or rehabilitation of mentally ill, aged, physically ill or physically disabled patients; developmentally disabled clients; or clients attending clinics for preventive or treatment services. Employees in this classification at the advanced level of work perform more complex duties.  Employees in this classification at the lead level of work have lead responsibility of an administrative nature for lower-level Licensed Practical Nurses. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions but may have lead responsibility over direct care and other non-licensed staff.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a Registered Nurse or other licensed health professional. Employees may be assigned to day, evening, night or rotating shifts which may include holidays and weekends. Employees may be subject to call-in and overtime based on staffing needs. Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and spread of disease. Employees may be required to physically restrain patients/clients displaying violent aggressive behavior. The work may require the lifting and positioning of non-ambulatory patients/clients and the lifting of wheel chairs and other heavy equipment. The work may require long periods of standing, walking, bending and reaching.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Licensed Practical Nurse III is differentiated from Licensed Practical Nurse II in that the Licensed Practical Nurse III performs more complex duties or assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Licensed Practical Nurses while the License Practical Nurse II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Administers intravenous fluids, tube feedings, aerosol treatments, chest physiotherapy and postural draining for oxygen/ventilator dependent patients;

Monitors dialysis procedures;

Performs blood transfusions with dialysis patients;

Participates on feeding team to provide nutritional feedings and care through naso-gastric tubes and gastrostomy tubes for clients unable to take nourishment orally;

Performs specialized technical treatments and sterile dressings for decubitous ulcer patients;

Attaches electrocardiograph and electroencephalograph leads and operates the equipment;

Responds to physical problems related to substance abuse and provides counseling and education on drug and alcohol effects, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) information and related issues to residents of inpatient substance abuse treatment facilities;

Conducts in-service educational programs for facility staff;

Operates the central supply of medical equipment requiring adherence to sterility requirements and adaptation of medical equipment for special patient needs;

Coordinates scheduling and clinical services of facility-wide clinics;

Develops and presents health education programs concerning specific patient populations such as AIDS/HIV or Alzheimer's disease patients;

In a team relationship with a Registered Nurse, assists lower-level Licensed Practical Nurses;

Notifies the Registered Nurse of potential problems with clinical procedures and practices performed by lower-level Licensed Practical Nurses;

Assigns and reviews work, monitors leave usage and counsels lower-level Licensed Practical Nurses for infractions of administrative policy;

May care for complex or unusual patient needs;

Performs nursing procedures such as administering prescribed medications, monitoring patients' vital signs, obtaining specimens for laboratory testing and assisting in physical examinations;

Performs patient medical treatments such as catheterizations, suctioning procedures, tracheotomy care and the application of dressings;

Provides health education counseling to patients and assists patients in performing daily living activities;

Documents and maintains required charts, reports and individual health records on patients and, as directed, keeps Physicians, Registered Nurses and other designated personnel informed of same;

Practices behavior modification techniques designed to assist patients/clients in their treatments;

Maintains proper inventories of supplies;

Follows prescribed procedures for cleanliness, sterility and aseptic techniques;

Attends in-service training programs in order to maintain a continual awareness of current nursing practices, procedures and policies;

Participates in multi-disciplinary patient conferences;

Provides individual and group health instruction for students and non-nursing staff in the community setting;

May assign, review and approve the work of direct care and other non-licensed staff;

Performs other related duties.

1. Employees in this classification are subject to call-in, and therefore, will be required to provide the facility with a telephone number where they can be reached.

2. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.